By Rachel Torrent

“Goddamnit! I look frightful!” Julie was removing her apron and checking herself in the stainless steel door of the huge refrigerator.

“Ya look like ya been working, Jules. That’s all.” Caleb passed by her and winked.

“Jeez…………I’ll havta to go home and shower again.”

She was in a frantic rush. Her lunch shift at Renaissance was over, and she’d been uptight all morning about Roger’s friend Vinnie breezing into town. Roger had stopped by around noon to say he was on his way to the airport, and Julie was supposed to meet them at the Snake Pit later. But now, much to her dismay, she needed to go back to the loft and freshen up.

She couldn’t determine exactly why this visitor was making her so nervous. Maybe because Roger spoke so highly of him. Maybe because Roger never mentioned anyone else from his past and clearly wanted her to meet this friend. Maybe because she had no clue what someone from Roger’s far-reaching and complicated past might be like. Maybe, simply, because they’d never had an overnight visitor while she’d been living in the loft.

Whatever the reason, Julie was slightly on edge with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. Would she measure up to whatever had existed in the past?

“Ya look fine, babe. Just powder your nose.” Caleb was always her cheerleader. He was even finally warming up to the idea of Roger being around all the time.

Back in her office, she did powder her nose and take down her hair. And she managed to catch her breath too.

Walking back to the front of the restaurant, she had planned to survey the whole place from the foyer before she left – a habit she had been doing for a while. Instead, she ran headlong into her beloved fiancé along with a tall, dark, beefy, Italian guy who had dancing brown eyes and a warm, open smile.

The sight of the two of them side by side was breath-taking: one fair-haired and green-eyed graceful sleek knight, the other dark-haired and brown-eyed overwhelming charmer. Julie was caught completely off-balance, in every sense.

It was Roger she’d physically collided with, and he put his arms around her now. “Whoa, baby. Where’s the fire?”

Julie was stunned to see them. Flustered. The other guy was still smiling at her, as if he knew her already. “Ya must be Julie. Ya look just like Roga described.” His smile became a handsome grin. The accent was heavy New York.

She stepped away from Roger’s protective embrace. “And you’ve got to be Vinnie Terranova. You SOUND just like Roger described.” His grin now turned into a full-fledged laugh as Julie hugged him.

Roger waited patiently for them to finish. Then he saw that more formal introductions weren’t necessary. He put a hand on Julie’s shoulder. Possessively, perhaps.

She turned to him. “You weren’t supposed to bring him here! I’m a mess! I just finished in the kitchen!”

“OOPS, Roga. Ya already fucked up.” Vinnie chuckled. Julie sensed that they were quite familiar and comfortable around each other.

“I couldn’t wait, sweetheart, for Vince to meetcha. And ya look adorable, so don’t start with the bitching.”

“You two sound married already. It’s nice to finally meetcha, Julie.”

“Yeah, you too, Vinnie. C’mon………Lemme show ya ‘round, since you’re here. This is MY place.” Julie took his hand in hers and led him off.

As they wandered back to the kitchen, leaving Roger behind, he called out, “I’ll wait in the bar.”

“Yeah, you do that,” Julie shouted over her shoulder to him without slowing down. Vinnie chuckled again.

She gave Vinnie her patented grand tour, complete with introductions to a few select members of the staff. He seemed awed and amazed in a boyish way. “Ya really run this whole place?”

“I have lots of great help, including Roger. He keeps the books and offers lots of suggestions on the management decisions and stuff like that.”

Vinnie whistled. “But you’re the chef, right?”

“I’m the chef. Caleb and Alex are my backups. They’re wonderful,” Julie said. “I’m cooking less and less, though, ‘cause Roger doesn’t want me to work as much as I used to.”

“So who’s got who whipped?” Vinnie asked, laughing. Even his eyes laugh, she noticed.

“It’s kinda mutual. That’s why it works.” Julie smiled at him, hoping he understood. She didn’t really take kindly to references that she had Roger “whipped.” Theirs was a strong, solid relationship based on acceptance and tolerance. Give and take, not dominance and submission. Oh, and trust and love too.

“I’d never thought he’d ever settle down. I’d given up on him,” Vinnie told her.

“Well, I haven’t really ‘tamed the tiger,’ like he said you called it. He’s still his same old self.” Julie wondered immediately if she really knew what Roger’s “same old self” was. She was sure Vinnie did.

“Ah……but he’s got something……..um……..someone to cherish and protect now. I see a difference in him already. He’s very smitten with you.”

Julie smiled at this. Vinnie had been in town for only an hour or so, and already saw changes in Roger. Positive changes. She chose not to spoil the moment with a cheap comment. “You saw the fine dining room. Let’s go to the bar/grill side. That’s where Roger’s probably waiting.”

Vinnie grabbed her arm as she turned to go. “Hey……….I meant it as a compliment……….I’m glad he’s found you……….And ya seem to be handling things well.”

This confused her a little. “Handling things well?”

“He’s not the easiest person to get along with, ya may have noticed……………I just meant ya seem to be doing great with him, from what I’ve seen so far and what he’s told me.” Vinnie tried to explain himself. “You seem like a good match for him…………something he needs.”

“So far, so good.” Julie wasn’t sure what to say next.

So Vinnie changed the subject. “Lemme see this place’s bar. I need to buy my buddy and his chosen one some champagne.” His face beamed a huge smile.

“C’mon then. But your money’s no good here, Mr. Terranova.”

Out in the bar, Roger sat alone on a bar stool and sipped a beer. He looked totally unapproachable. Intentionally so. Julie came up behind him and kissed his neck, exactly where his hairline stopped. He smelled as wonderful as he looked.

At her touch, he smiled into his glass. “Is the tour bus back?……….So whadaya think of Renaissance, Vince?” He said quietly, turning around to face the other two.

“Great place! Jules’s done a fine job.” Julie noticed instantly that Vinnie had adopted the standard nickname for her, one Roger never used.

“Puts my little hole in the wall to shame,” Roger said with a fading laugh.

“Stop it, Roger. The Snake Pit isn’t a hole in the wall,” Julie said.

“Ya better NOT have a dive, Roga. I’ve hadda listen to too damn much hype ‘bout this place for it to be a dive.” Vinnie said and then told Nick, the day bartender, to get them some good champagne.

“Food’s good, at least, thanks to her.” Roger cut his eyes to Julie. She melted at that slightest of movements.

“Ya do the cooking down there too?” Vinnie asked.

“No, I just help Randall out with some menus and tips.”

“She taught his fat ass how to cook,” Roger said dryly, never attempting to conceal any of his prejudices.

"Stop it, Roger. He’s a good cook. Just not very…………..inventive. But he’s improving,” Julie said.

“Here, guys. Let’s have a toast.” Vinnie was handing each of them a cold flute of sparkling champagne. “To my best friend, Roger Lococco, and his bride-to-be, Julie. Best of everything in the future ahead!”

Three glasses clinked, then slowly lost their contents. “Thanks, Vince. You’re a stand-up kinda guy,” Roger said.

“Yeah, Vinnie. That was nice.”

“Say……….speaking of…………Wouldya be my best man?” Roger licked champagne off his upper lip and looked up at Vinnie. Julie gulped silently at another tiny erotic movement.

Vinnie looked shocked. His eyes widened a bit. “Me?”

Roger looked around melodramatically. “Of course, you. Who else would I ask? Julie’s ex-husband won’t do it.” Julie snickered.

“Well…………..uh………..Sure, man. I’ll do it. When’s the big day?” Vinnie set his empty flute on the bar. He had now acquired a beer too.

“Whenever we decide………..If we ever do.” Roger had picked up his beer mug again.

“We’re waiting until after another wedding in a couple of months,” Julie explained.

Roger laughed. “Yeah, like THAT one’ll evah happen.”

Julie punched his arm. “Cut that out. You’re not being very nice around our guest.”

As if Vinnie wasn’t there at all, Roger glanced at her and said softly, “Ya think I don’t see the way he still looks at you, hmmm?”

Julie sighed. “Leave it alone. Okay? This ain’t the time or place.”

“Nice stone, Roga. Ya pick that out all by your lonesome?” Vinnie diverted their attention back to himself.

“Yeah, and she still wants to keep it. Go figure.”

After more idle chit chat, Roger and Vinnie left for the Snake Pit while Julie went back to the loft to relax and change for dinner. They would be eating that evening at Renaissance, of course. Julie had been preparing lasagna for the dinner menu most of the morning. Lasagna that Vinnie later pronounced “As good as Mom makes.”

When he said this, Julie had swelled with pride, and Roger had winked at her across the table. He knew how worried she’d been that her Italian culinary skills wouldn’t match up to the authenticity Vinnie was accustomed to.

After dinner, back at the loft, they sat around and drank cappuccino. The mood was relaxed and chummy. Julie sat virtually in Roger’s lap, as usual. Vinnie sat on the leather chair and propped his feet up on the ottoman, like Roger often did.

Vinnie described for them his home life in upstate New York, a quiet life now since his retirement from government work. He’d bought a nice secluded ranch house on some wooded acreage and spent lots of time alone there. He was presently between loves in his life and was required more and more to take care of his ailing mother and stepfather.

Julie watched him talk and decided that he, like Roger, seemed relieved to be done with the erratic, dangerous operative work they used to do. And, she thought, he looks so much like Elvis Presley at times.

After a while, Julie gave Vinnie her account of her history with Roger up to this point. She was certain that her version had more length and detail than what Roger had already told him, and Vinnie’s interest was peaked. He smiled and his eyes darted about as he listened to the “taming of the tiger” story, if that’s what he wanted to call it.

Roger disputed nothing of what she was saying, though. He only tightened his arm around her middle and grunted out a few almost silent laughs. It felt wonderful to Julie to be sitting there so close to him and happily telling his long-time friend about their beginnings.

Vinnie and Roger eventually drifted into talk about their past collective experiences, the dangerous ones as well as the amusing ones. Julie had heard most of the stories already, but she thrilled now to listen to Roger described in someone else’s perspective, someone who knew him well long before she had.

During a comfortable lull in the conversation, Vinnie suddenly said, “So, Roga………..Didya tell her ‘bout those three Kraut whores yet? Remember them, man? Whew!” His excited facial expression told Julie that this particular memory was not an unpleasant one.

But then she felt Roger bristle up next to her. When he spoke, his voice had taken on a hard, metallic edge. “No, Vince. We can skip that one, if ya don’t mind…………..Buckwheat.” He shot Vinnie a look resembling evil.

Julie, however, didn’t want to skip a story about Roger and some “whores.” HER interest was now peaked. “Tell me, Vinnie. I’m dying to hear this one.” She glanced back over her shoulder at Roger and smiled. He looked slightly out of control of the situation, darting his sullen eyes from her to Vinnie.

“You don’t wanna hear, baby. Trust me. It was nothing anyway.” His voice was softer to her now, almost pleading.

Vinnie, who’d been grinning the whole time, now said, “That’s not what ya said then, Roga. But I can’t repeat some of what ya said that night…………..What were their names anyway?” He wasn’t missing out on this chance to rag on Roger.

Julie’s mind was reeling. “Lemme get this straight……………..You two SHARED three whores…………together?” She laughed, but she was actually quite astonished. This was certainly a side of her Roger she didn’t know.

“You got it, Jules. Three gorgeous babes…………From some foreign country………..And if Roga hadn’t just met me that morning, he woulda had ‘em all to himself………..Guess I got lucky, so to speak. Right, Roga?” Vinnie was chuckling unmercifully.

Julie heard Roger throw his head back on the sofa behind him. “Jesus Christ, Vinnie. Why’d ya havta bring this shit up? Of all things?”

But Vinnie wasn’t finished yet. “What was that one’s name, Roga? The one you liked best……………’cause she was so………..tight?”

Julie, stunned and open-mouthed, turned around to Roger again. His head was still back, eyes closed, brow furrowed. But he felt her stare. “Shut the fuck up, Vince. You’re ruining me over here.”

“You did all three of ‘em, honey? And even had a favorite?” Julie was trying to enjoy this as much as Vinnie was. As long as she screamed to herself that it had happened way in the past, she was successful.

“Your boyfriend over there was a tired puppy the next day, Jules. But he held up his end of the bargain like a real trooper, and he sure as hell got his money’s worth outta those hookers.” Vinnie was still having his fun at Roger’s expense.

Julie sat up off Roger, and he opened his eyes to look at her. “What was her name, Roger?”

He sighed heavily. “It doesn’t matter, Julie. That was a long time ago. Forget about it.” He was not enjoying any of this anymore.

But Julie was. She’d chosen not to let the images now in her head bother her. She’d use them to her advantage. “It’s turning me on to hear about you with three women………..at once.” Her voice was almost a whisper. Roger just stared at her blankly.

“Greta,” Vinnie chimed in from where he sat. “Her name was Greta. Remember, Roga?”

Roger cut those steely eyes in Vinnie’s direction. “You can put a lid on it now, Vince. I think she gets the picture. Thanks a bunch.”

When he cut his eyes back to her, she smiled at him. “How exciting,” she whispered again. Her voice was filled with lust.

He put a hand on her arm. “C’mon, sweets. Don’t bullshit me.”

Vinnie was quiet now, watching them as she spoke. “I’m serious, Roger. This is erotic……….You and three ladies………all at the same time………Ahhh, the fantasies.”

“Sounds like you got one wild enough to keep up with ya now, Roga.”

“Just keep it up, Vinnie, and I won’t NEED a best man.” Roger sighed again.

Settling back down next to him, Julie laughed. “Yes, you will, sweetheart. And later, I want some intimate details.” She kissed his neck.

What Julie got later she felt obligated to thank Vinnie for the next day. But she didn’t. She just thanked him for coming to town and adding new “dimensions” to their life. And then she winked.

The trip, a first of many for Vinnie, was a roaring success for all involved. Julie was sorry to see him go. She looked forward to getting close to this person who had gotten so close to her Roger.

“I really am glad there’s YOU now, Jules,” Vinnie told her before he left. They were out of Roger’s presence. “I don’t havta worry ‘bout him anymore.”

“I’ll take care of him, Vinnie. From now on.”

“And I KNOW he’ll take care o’ you.”

“Yeah.” Julie smiled.